Mobile device visual input system and methods

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing an image on a mobile device, including a mobile device with a camera for capturing a digital image, a display for displaying the captured image, and an image processing module configured to detect one or more types of information contained in said captured image. The image processing module is configured to overlay the detected information as a separate layer over the captured image for view on the display. The system further includes a wireless connection coupling the mobile device to the remote server such that the captured image and detected information may be uploaded to the remote server for further processing.

1. A mobile device, comprising:
 a camera for capturing a digital image; 
 a display for displaying the captured image; and 
 an image processing module configured to detect one or more types of information contained in said captured image; 
 wherein said image processing module is configured to overlay the detected information as a separate layer over the captured image for view on said display; 
 wherein the detected information comprises text; and 
 wherein one or more portions of the text are individually selectable for performing a subsequent action with respect to selected text. 
 
     
     
       2. A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the overlayed information is graphically modified to visually distinguish it from the captured image. 
     
     
       3. A device as recited in  claim 1 :
 wherein optical character recognition is performed on one or more portions of the text to identify the one or more characters of text. 
 
     
     
       4. A device as recited in  claim 2 :
 wherein one or more controls are applied to the detected information; and 
 wherein the one or more controls provide instruction to perform an action on the mobile device upon selection of one or more portions of text. 
 
     
     
       5. A device as recited in  claim 1 :
 wherein the image processing module is configured to recognize text associated with a phone number; and 
 wherein a control applied to the phone number automatically dials the phone number upon selection of the text associated with the phone number. 
 
     
     
       6. A device as recited in  claim 1 :
 wherein the image processing module is configured to recognize text associated with an email address; and 
 wherein a control applied to the email address compises a hyperlink that automatically opens a messaging application upon selection of the text associated with the email address. 
 
     
     
       7. A device as recited in  claim 1 :
 wherein the image processing module is confiured to recognize text associated with a URL; and 
 wherein a control applied to the URL comprises a hyperlink that automatically opens a browser application upon selection of the text associated with the URL. 
 
     
     
       8. A system for processing an image on a mobile device, comprising:
 (a) a mobile device, said mobile device comprising:
 (i) a camera for capturing a digital image; 
 (ii) a display for displaying the captured image; and 
 (iii) an image processing module configured to detect one or more types of information contained in said captured image; 
 (iv) wherein said image processing module is configured to overlay the detected information as a separate layer over the captured image for view on said display; 
 
 (b) a remote server; and 
 (c) a wireless connection coupling the mobile device to the remote server such that the captured image and detected information may be uploaded to the remote server for further processing; 
 (d) wherein the detected information comprises text; and 
 (e) wherein one or more portions of the text are individually selectable for performing a subsequent action with respect to selected text. 
 
     
     
       9. A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the overlayed information is graphically modified to visually distinguish it from the captured image. 
     
     
       10. A system as recited in  claim 8 :
 wherein optical character recognition is performed on one or more portions of the text to identify one or more characters of text. 
 
     
     
       11. A system as recited in  claim 9 :
 wherein one or more controls are applied to the detected information; and 
 wherein the one or more controls provide instruction to perform an action on the mobile device upon selection of one or more portions of text. 
 
     
     
       12. A system as recited in  claim 8 :
 wherein the image processing module is configured to recognize text associated with a phone number; and 
 wherein a control applied to the phone number automatically dials the phone number upon selection of the text associated with the phone number. 
 
     
     
       13. A system as recited in  claim 8 :
 wherein the image processing module is configured to recognize text associated with an email address; and 
 wherein a control applied to the email address comprises a hyperlink that automatically opens a messaging application upon selection of the text associated with the email address. 
 
     
     
       14. A system as recited in  claim 8 :
 wherein the image processing module is configured to recognize text associated with a URL; and 
 wherein a control applied to the URL comprises a hyperlink that automatically opens a browser application upon selection of the text associated with the URL. 
 
     
     
       15. A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the captured image and detected information are encoded into a standard imaging format prior to upload. 
     
     
       16. A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the remote server comprises a secondary image processing module configured to detect secondary information from the captured image. 
     
     
       17. A system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the secondary image processing module is configured to index detected information as metadata for secondary uses. 
     
     
       18. A system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the secondary image processing module is configured to upload the detected information for use in a relational database. 
     
     
       19. A system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the remote server comprises a data transfer module configured to upload the detected secondary information back to the mobile device. 
     
     
       20. A method for processing an image on a mobile device, comprising:
 capturing a digital image with a camera associated with the mobile device; 
 detecting one or more types of information contained in said captured image; 
 wherein the detected information comprises text; 
 designating one or more portions of the text to be individually selectable for performing a subsequent action with respect to selected text; 
 overlaying the detected information as a separate layer over the captured image; 
 displaying the captured image and detected information overlay on a display associated with the mobile device; 
 applying one or more controls to the detected information; 
 wherein the one or more controls provide instruction to perform an action on the mobile device upon selection of one or more portions of text; 
 coupling the mobile device to a remote server via a wireless connection; 
 uploading the captured image and detected information to the remote server; and 
 performing additional processing to the captured image and detected information.